Manufacture of aluminum chloride



ice.

FRANK W. HALL, OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TEXAS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A-CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

MANUFACTURE 01E ALUMINUM CHLORIDE.

1V0 Drawing. 0rigina1 application filed March 1, 1920, Serial No. 362,199. Divided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

and this application filed September 20, 1921. Serial No. 501,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W.. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Port Arthur, in the county of J efierson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Aluminum Chloride, of which the following is a specification.

This application is divisional of one filed by me on March 1, 1920, Serial Number 362,199, and relates to the production of aluminum chloride by a new and improved method involving the use of an aluminum ore or compound, such as bauxite, sulfur and chlorin, the reaction being expressed accordin to mypresent knowledge and belief, as fo lows:

, two principal reasons: first, because the reaction is highly exothermic, and second, be-

- cause all the substances entering into the 'reaction except the alumina are in a gaseous or vapor state. One of the most common methods at present used for the manufacture of aluminumchloride, involves the mixing of soft coal and bauxite with a binder, coking the mixture and then 'chlorinating it. My invention represents a distinct advantage over methods of this type inasmuch as no coking step is required but the elementary substances, chlorin and. sulfur are combined directly with alumina in a single operation.

The present, invention contemplates the contacting of alumina, sulfur and chlorin in such manner and under such temperatures that the resulting reaction produces anhydrous aluminum chloride and relates particularly to a method of operation in which the alumina or other suitable aluminum compound is introduced into the reaction chamber in a-powdered state. The sulfur and the chlorin are preferably introduced.

into the reaction chamber in the form of vapor. A convenient way of introducing into the chamber while the sulfur into the reaction-chamber, however, is to melt it and allow it to flow in a liquid state to the chamber, the heat therein vaporizing it so that itwill enter into the reaction. To obtain the necessary alumina for the reaction any suitable aluminous substance may be used, such as bauxite, aluminum silicate and various other alumina containing clays, it being understood that wherever the word alumina is used in this specification or in the claims it is meant toinclude any suitable alumina containing material.

In carrying on the process an atmosphere of chlorin and sulfur is maintained in the reaction chamber and powdered alumina, preferably in a finely divided form, is blown a temperature sulficient to produce anhydrous aluminum chloride is maintained. If desired, the alumina may be preheated before introducing it into the reaction chamber.

The aluminum chloride produced leaves the chamber in the form of vapor and may be condensed and collected in any suitable manner.

What I claim is:

1. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in maintaining an atmosphere of chlorin and sulfur vapors in a heated chamber and blowing powdered alumina thereinto.

2. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in maintaining an atmosphere of chlorin and sulfur vapors in a heated chamber and blowing an alumina containing substance thereinto.

3. The rocess of manufacturingv aluminum. chloride which consists in maintaining an atmosphere of chlorin and sulfur vapors in a heated chamber and blowing a powdered aluminum compound thereinto.

4:. The process of manufacturing aluminum chloride which consists in reacting chlorin, sulfur and powdered alumina under conditions to form aluminum chloride.

5. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in introducing powdered alumina into a chamber containing chlorin and sulfur vapors and heated to reaction temperatures.

6. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in passing *chlorin and melted sulfur into a heated chamber where the sulfur vaporizes, and introducing powdered alumina into the vapors in said chamber.

7. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in maintaining; an

atmosphere of chlorin and sulfur vapors in a heated chamber, preheating alumina and introducing said heated alumina in pow- 1 dered form thereinto.

8. The process of producing aluminum chloride which consists in reacting chlorin and sulfur in the vaporous state with powdered alumina in the presence of heat.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my handthis 1stday of September, 1921.

' FRANK W. HALL. 

